Why a Steinway Grand Piano is the Only Real Choice Today

There are many criteria that are involved in any purchase of a piano, particularly a Steinway grand piano, and for each individual some criteria will be take priority.    Below are some of the most important criteria that need to be evaluated. This article will guide you to select a Steinway Grand Piano or a used piano.

The first criteria are the size of the room that the piano is going to go into.  If the room isn't large enough for the piano plus at least three times the size of the piano for a small audience, then the piano might be too large for this room. One exception to this would be for a practice room.  In this case, a grand piano is still the better choice, if possible because the action and sound of the piano is different than in an upright piano, and gives the player a much more realistic feel for when the pianist plays on most other pianos outside of that room.  The Steinway grand pianos range in size from as small as 5' 1" to the concert grand at just short of 9 feet, so there should be no problem finding the best size piano.

The second criteria, often overlooked, are the color and finish of the piano.  Of course for concert venues, ebony black is the piano color of choice, but many pianos in homes look better with other types of woods and finishes.  For the wood types other than black ebony, there is a huge range:  mahogany (figured, flamed, fiddle-back and simple-grained), walnut (burled, circassion, American and French), cherry, oak, and ivory (white, cream, gold-leaf), and rosewood (Brazilian and Indonesian). The finish of these Steinway grand pianos range from satin to satin luster, glossy to high polish.  The glossy finish tends to be more "showy" and therefore more appropriate for certain types of rooms.  Choosing the correct finish for the room can greatly add to the décor.

The third criteria are the style of the piano you desire.  Most people are used to only thinking of a traditional black ebony piano, and never stop to look at all of the variety of pianos available.  Steinway pianos have a huge range of styles over the years other than traditional, including Rococo, Victorian, Louis XV, Queen Anne, and of course, many custom designs.  The pianos range from the very old (around 1857) to the present day.  Most of these "styled" pianos are sought after by artists as well as collectors so they are quite valuable.

The fourth criteria are the age of the piano you need.  Most people do not consider the older pianos, greatly overlooking the value, savings and more importantly, the sound and feel of these older Steinway pianos.  First, the new pianos are quite expensive compared to the older pianos, but more than that, many of the older pianos have a sound and action that has been restored to play and sound better than some of the newer pianos.  This is because the casing of the piano has "aged" and never loses its original quality of sound.  A genuine rebuilt Steinway Piano can feel and sound as good as if not better than the newest pianos being produced today, and so their value is unparalleled.  Not only is one purchasing a Steinway piano that is appreciating in value, but also, an instrument that has a beautiful sound and touch.

Finally, the cost of the piano must be a criterion. Sometimes in the interest of saving money, some piano buyers leave the Steinway Piano behind only to purchase an instrument that is inferior in quality and name, and more importantly depreciating in value.  As an investment, this does not make sense. Anyone can save money today at the price of tomorrow, but the wise person will stretch to make the soundest investment by choosing a Steinway Piano that sounds, looks, feels the best, and finally and very importantly, maintains its value over many years.

The widest selection anywhere in the world of used Steinway Pianos can be found at www.American-Steinway.com, where Steinway Pianos of almost every type, style, age, color in this article can be found available today.